EMDR
Let yourself heal.
Tell your story.
EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing), often in conjunction with CBT and DBT, is the primary way we treat trauma and other conditions at The Patterson Center. During the first few months of therapy, you and your provider will build a trusting relationship together, develop coping strategies, work on naming and being comfortable with your emotions, and create a support system for yourself.
From there, you and your therapist will create a timeline of your life - the highs and the lows. This will be used to target memories in EMDR.
Begin a new journey.
This is where it gets interesting. Nobody is sure how EMDR works, we just know it does. EMDR uses something called bilateral stimulation to help activate both sides of the brain at the same time. Bilateral stimulation requires activation of both sides of the body, such as tapping one leg or shoulder and then the other, looking side to side, hearing sounds in alternating ears, or using paddles that buzz in your hands one at a time. Bilateral stimulation helps us to keep one foot in the present while one foot goes into the past. This can help you to feel safer and improve faster.
Many clients find that once EMDR is started, they begin to feel better in as little as one to two sessions.
More questions? Check out this video.